1994 Volume 20 Issue 3 Pages 19-27
Changes of viable counts and microflora of ground pork stored at 5°C for 20 days under modified atmosphere packaging with O2, CO2, N2, air, vacuum, free oxygen absorber or stretch were compared. Viable counts of ground pork stored under CO2, free oxygen absorber and vacuum packaging were 101 to 106 CFU/g lower than those stored with O2, N2, air and stretch packaging. At the initial stage, the dominant microflora in ground pork were Micrococcus, Staphylococcus, Acinetobacter and Yeast. The dominant microflora in the latter stage were Lactobacillus for CO2 and vacuum packaging, Pseudomonas for O2, air and stretch packaging, Lactobacillus and Serratia for free oxygen absorber packaging or Psedomonas and Brochothrix for N2 packaging. VBN and pH values of ground pork packaged with CO2, free oxygen absorber and vacuum on the 14 th day of storage were lower than those packaged with O2, N2, air and stretch packaging. It was suggested that storage under CO2, free oxygen absorber and vacuum packaging was effective to extend the microbiological shelf life of ground pork.
